Scheduling your workout at the same time each day as you would any appointment helps build a habit and is the best way to keep you motivated. It’s hard to break a habit. Sometimes, life gets in the way and you can’t do a full workout. Here are some ways to squeeze in your exercise program and stick with the program by modifying your workout and getting it done faster. Sometimes, just saving a few minutes during the day makes a big difference.
Divide your workout into sessions.
If you can’t manage a full workout, break it into sessions. Can you do 15 minutes at three different times during the day? It doesn’t matter whether you exercise all at once, do a 25-minute session and a 20-minute session, or do three 15-minute sessions throughout the day, you’ll still get the benefit of doing 45 minutes. You don’t have to change a thing. You only need to break your workout into several sections.
Save time with circuit training or HIIT—high intensity interval training.
HIIT workouts get more done in less time. HIIT workouts don’t include specific exercises but are a way of doing any exercise. You push to peak performance for a few minutes, modify your effort to a recovery pace, and then back to peak intensity. Modifying your intensity can show the same improvements in fitness in less than half the time as a steady-state workout. You can use it with cardio workouts or strength training. You can also modify circuit training by cutting the resting time between stations. It speeds up the workout and accomplishes more in less time.
A full-body workout and compound exercises speed up your routine.
Exercises using kettlebells provide a full-body workout. They also offer flexibility, strength, balance, and cardio simultaneously. That’s a real time-saver. It burns as many calories in a short period as other exercises do in a much longer time. It can shorten your session without cutting benefits. Doing compound exercises also boosts the efficiency of your workout. They work several muscle groups and joints at one time.
- Use your daily activities as part of your workout. If you walk to lunch, make it a HIIT workout, or pick up your speed and swing your arms vigorously. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Create a short circuit of exercises, and when you have time to spare, do as many circuits as possible. They can include squats, lunges, push-ups, jumping jacks, and other calisthenics you can do anywhere.
- If you’re going to have a packed day, get up earlier and exercise as soon as you rise. When it’s early, it’s quiet and less demanding, so you’ll get more done and start your day right.
- Include weights and make each exercise more difficult to maximize the benefits. If you’re doing jumping jacks, do it by holding dumbbells or wearing ankle and wrist weights.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness